Sewing machine and computer program product

ABSTRACT

A sewing machine includes a storage portion that stores pattern information and implement information for each of a plurality of patterns, a selecting portion that selects a desired pattern as a selected pattern, a first specifying portion that specifies, as one or more required implements, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew the selected pattern, a reading portion that reads, as tag information, information that is stored in one or more wireless tags and that identifies one or more prepared implements, a second specifying portion that specifies the one or more prepared implements based on the tag information that has been read by the reading portion, and an informing control portion that, in a case where there are one or more unprepared required implements, causes an informing portion to inform at least unprepared required implement information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-274253, filed Dec. 9, 2010, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a sewing machine that performs sewing using various types of sewing implements.

When sewing is performed by a sewing machine, various types of sewing implements may be used. For example, the implements include a sewing needle that is mounted in a needle bar, a thread spool around which a thread is wound, a presser foot that is mounted on a presser bar and presses down on a work cloth that is a sewn object, and the like. Furthermore, in a case where embroidery sewing is performed by a sewing machine that is capable of embroidery sewing, an embroidery frame that holds the work cloth may be also used. The types of the sewing implements to be used are determined in accordance with the type (size, color, and the like) of the pattern that will be sewn. If sewing implements that are suited to the type of the pattern are not used, a user may not produce the desired sewing result.

Accordingly, a sewing machine is known for which contactless ID tags are mounted on implements that can be installed in and removed from the sewing machine, such as the needle bar, the presser foot, the embroidery frame, the thread spool, and the like, such that when the implements have been installed in the sewing machine, a reader in the sewing machine reads information that is stored in the individual ID tags, and the sewing machine can determine whether the implements are suitable.

SUMMARY

However, with the sewing machine that is described above, the user must prepare the sewing implements of the types that are suited to the pattern before mounting the sewing implements in the sewing machine. Depending on the sewing implement, large numbers of types exist. Therefore, checking whether the sewing implements that are suited to the pattern exist among a large number of sewing implements may be a burdensome task. For example, the number of colors of embroidery thread that are available on the market is extremely large, and includes many colors that closely resemble one another. Accordingly, it is not easy to check whether a thread spool of a color that is suited to a desired pattern exists among a large number of thread spools of various colors that the user has. In particular, this is all the more true in a case where the user is a novice.

Various embodiments of the broad principles derived herein provide a sewing machine and a computer program product that make it possible for the user to easily check whether all of the sewing implements that are necessary for sewing have been provided at a stage of preparing for the sewing by the sewing machine.

Embodiments provide a sewing machine that includes a storage portion that stores pattern information and implement information for each of a plurality of patterns in association with one another. The pattern information is information that identifies each of the patterns. The implement information is information that identifies, among a plurality of sewing implements, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew each of the patterns. The sewing implement is an implement that can be used for sewing and that can be replaceably mounted in the sewing machine. The sewing machine also includes a selecting portion that selects a desired pattern as a selected pattern from among the plurality of the patterns, and a first specifying portion that references the pattern information and the implement information that are stored in the storage portion and specifies, as one or more required implements, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew the selected pattern that has been selected by the selecting portion. The sewing machine further includes a reading portion that reads, as tag information, information that is stored in one or more wireless tags that are respectively attached to one or more prepared implements and that identifies the one or more prepared implements. The one or more prepared implements are one or more sewing implements that are located within a communication range of the reading portion. The sewing machine further includes a second specifying portion that specifies the one or more prepared implements based on the tag information that has been read by the reading portion. The sewing machine further includes an informing control portion that, based on the one or more required implements that have been specified by the first specifying portion and on the one or more prepared implements that have been specified by the second specifying portion, in a case where there are one or more unprepared required implements causes an informing portion to inform at least information that pertains to the one or more unprepared required implements as unprepared required implement information. The one or more unprepared required implements are one or more required implements that are not included among the one or more prepared implements.

Embodiments also provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a control program executable on a sewing machine. The program includes instructions that cause a computer of the sewing machine to perform the steps of accepting a desired pattern as a selected pattern selected from among a plurality of patterns, specifying as one or more required implements, by referencing pattern information and implement information, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew the selected pattern that has been accepted, specifying one or more prepared implements based on tag information that has been read by a reading portion, and causing an informing portion to inform at least information that pertains to one or more unprepared required implements as unprepared required implement information in a case where there are one or more unprepared required implements, based on the one or more required implements that have been specified and on the one or more prepared implements that have been specified. The pattern information and the implement information are stored in a storage portion for each of the plurality of the patterns. The pattern information is information that identifies each of the patterns. The implement information is information that identifies, among a plurality of sewing implements, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew each of the patterns. The sewing implement are implement that can be used for sewing and that can be replaceably mounted in the sewing machine. The tag information is information that is stored in one or more wireless tags that are respectively attached to the one or more prepared implements and that identifies the one or more prepared implements. The one or more prepared implements are one or more sewing implements that are located within a communication range of the reading portion. The one or more unprepared required implements are the one or more required implements that are not included among the prepared implements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sewing machine from the left front;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory figure that shows an example of a control method for sewing implements of the sewing machine;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram that shows an electrical configuration of the sewing machine;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory figure that shows an example of a required implements database configuration;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of prepared implement specification processing that is performed by the sewing machine;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory figure that shows an example of a prepared implements list;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of required implement determination processing that is performed by the sewing machine;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory figure that shows an example of a required implements list;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory figure that shows an example of an unprepared required implement information screen; and

FIG. 10 is an explanatory figure that shows an example of a determination results information screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained with reference to the drawings.

A physical configuration of a sewing machine 1 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In the explanation as follows, the up-down and left-right directions in FIG. 2 respectively correspond to the up-down and left-right directions in the sewing machine 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sewing machine 1 includes a bed portion 11, a pillar 12, an arm portion 13, and a head portion 14. The bed portion 11 is long in the left-right direction and is the base of the sewing machine 1. The pillar 12 extends upward from the right end of the bed portion 11. The arm portion 13 extends toward the left from the upper end of the pillar 12 such that it is opposite the bed portion 11. The head portion 14 is a portion that is joined to the left end of the arm portion 13. A needle plate (not shown in the drawings) is provided in the upper surface of the bed portion 11. A feed dog, a feed mechanism, and a shuttle mechanism that are not shown in the drawings, as well as a feed adjustment pulse motor 78 (refer to FIG. 3) are provided underneath the needle plate (that is, within the bed portion 11). The feed dog is driven by the feed mechanism and moves a work cloth by a specified amount. The feed amount of the feed dog is adjusted by the feed adjustment pulse motor 78.

It is possible to place, on top of the bed portion 11, an embroidery frame 34 that holds a work cloth 100. The embroidery frame 34 has a known structure that holds the work cloth 100 by clamping it between an inner frame and an outer frame. An embroidery frame transport device 33 that moves the embroidery frame 34 is a known structure, so it will be explained briefly. The embroidery frame transport device 33 can be mounted on and removed from the bed portion 11. A carriage 35 that extends in the front-rear direction is provided on the upper portion of the embroidery frame transport device 33. A frame holder (not shown in the drawings) on which the embroidery frame 34 can be removably mounted and a Y axis transport mechanism (not shown in the drawings) that moves the frame holder in the front-rear direction (the Y axis direction) are provided in the interior of the carriage 35. The Y axis transport mechanism is driven by a Y axis motor 84 (refer to FIG. 3).

An X axis transport mechanism (not shown in the drawings) that moves the carriage 35 in the left-right direction (the X axis direction) is provided within the body of the embroidery frame transport device 33. The X axis transport mechanism is driven by a X axis motor 83 (refer to FIG. 3). The embroidery frame 34 is moved in the left-right direction (the X axis direction) as the carriage 35 is moved in the left-right direction (the X axis direction).

A needle bar 6 that is shown in FIG. 2 and the shuttle mechanism (not shown in the drawings) are driven in conjunction with the moving of the embroidery frame 34 in the left-right direction (the X axis direction) and the front-rear direction (the Y axis direction). The driving of the needle bar 6 and the shuttle mechanism causes a sewing needle 7 (refer to FIG. 2) that is mounted on the needle bar 6 to sew an embroidery pattern on the work cloth 100 that is held by the embroidery frame 34. In a case where practical pattern that is not an embroidery pattern is sewn, the sewing is performed as the work cloth is fed by the feed dog, in a state in which the embroidery frame transport device 33 has been removed from the bed portion 11.

A liquid crystal display (hereinafter called the LCD) 15 that is a vertically long rectangle-shaped is provided on the front face of the pillar 12. An image that includes various types of items, such as commands, illustrations, set values, messages, and the like, can be displayed on the LCD 15. A touch panel 26 is provided on the front face of the LCD 15. In a case where a user performs an operation of pressing on the touch panel 26 using a finger or a special touch pen (hereinafter, the operation is called a panel operation), the item that corresponds to the pressed position that is detected by the touch panel 26 is recognized as being selected. With the panel operation, the user can select the pattern to be sewn and a command to be executed.

The arm portion 13 is provided on its upper portion with a cover 16 that can be opened and closed. Underneath the cover 16, that is, roughly in the central portion within the arm portion 13, a thread containing portion 18 is provided that is a recessed portion in which a thread spool 20 can be accommodated. A thread spool pin 19 that projects leftward toward the head portion 14 is provided on an inner wall surface on the pillar 12 side of the thread containing portion 18. The thread spool 20 is mounted in the thread containing portion 18 in a state in which the thread spool pin 19 has been inserted into an insertion hole (not shown in the drawings) in the thread spool 20.

An upper thread (not shown in the drawings) that is wound around the thread spool 20 is supplied from the thread spool 20, through a thread hook (not shown in the drawings) that is provided in the head portion 14, to the sewing needle 7 (refer to FIG. 2) that is mounted in the needle bar 6. The needle bar 6 is driven such that it moves up and down by a needle bar up-and-down moving mechanism (not shown in the drawings) that is provided in the head portion 14. The needle bar up-and-down moving mechanism is driven by a drive shaft (not shown in the drawings) that is rotationally driven by a sewing machine motor 79 (refer to FIG. 3). A presser bar 91, on which is replaceably mounted a presser foot 92 that presses on the work cloth 100, extends downward from the lower end portion of the head portion 14. A plurality of operation switches that include a start-and-stop switch 32 are provided on the lower part of the front face of the arm portion 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, a tag reader 50 is connected to the sewing machine 1 through a connector (not shown in the drawings) that is provided in the right side face of the pillar 12. Note that the tag reader 50 may also be a structure that is built into the sewing machine 1. A power supply switch 31 (refer to FIG. 3) for turning the power supply to the sewing machine 1 on and off and a card slot 17 (refer to FIG. 3) to which a memory card that is a storage medium can be connected are also provided in the right side face of the pillar 12.

The tag reader 50 may be a known tag reader that has an antenna, a transmitting and receiving circuit, a signal processing circuit, and a control circuit. The control circuit is a microcomputer. The control circuit includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and is configured such that signal processing is performed according to a program that is stored in the ROM in advance, while the RAM is utilized as a temporary storage area. The tag reader 50 is capable of performing wireless communication with a wireless tag 51 that is within its communication range and can also perform contactless reading of information that is stored in the wireless tag 51. Note that the wireless tag 51 may be a known wireless tag with a built-in integrated circuit that includes an antenna and a memory portion.

An example of a control method for sewing implements of the sewing machine 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. The sewing implements in the present embodiment are implements that are replaceably mounted in the sewing machine 1 and are used for sewing, such as the thread spool 20, the presser foot 92, the embroidery frame 34, the sewing needle 7, and the like. In the explanation that follows, in order to simplify the explanation, the control method for three types of the sewing implements, the thread spool 20, the presser foot 92, and the embroidery frame 34, will be used as an example. However, the same sort of method can obviously be applied to the other sewing implements as well.

Sewing implements control that utilizes the tag reader 50 becomes possible when the sewing implements on which the wireless tags 51 are mounted are stored and kept within the communication range of the tag reader 50. For example, the control becomes possible if the user respectively stores the thread spools 20, the presser feet 92, and the embroidery frames 34 on which the wireless tags 51 are mounted in a thread spool storage case 200, a presser foot storage case 900, and an embroidery frame storage case 300 that are respectively capable of storing pluralities of the thread spools 20, the presser feet 92, and the embroidery frames 34, as shown in FIG. 2, and then keeps the respective storage cases in the vicinity of the sewing machine 1 (within the communication range of the tag reader 50). Alternatively, all of the types of the sewing implements may also be stored in a single storage case that is capable of storing them all. If the wireless tags 51 are mounted on the sewing implements, the control is possible as long as the sewing implements are placed within the communication range of the tag reader 50, even if they are not stored in the storage cases.

In the present embodiment, to make it easier to ensure storage sites for the sewing implements, the tag reader 50 is used with an active type of the wireless tag 51 that is capable of communicating even when separated from the tag reader 50 by a distance of several meters. Note that the active type of the wireless tag 51 has a built-in battery in addition to the antenna and the IC circuit, so it is a type of wireless tag that is capable of receiving and transmitting radio signals by operating on its own power supply. As shown in FIG. 2, the wireless tags 51 is embedded in each of the thread spools 20, the presser feet 92, and the embroidery frames 34. An implement ID, an implement name, and a type of the sewing implement on which the wireless tag 51 is mounted are stored in the memory portion of the wireless tag 51.

The implement ID is an identification code that is capable of specifying the implement name and the type of the sewing implement. The implement name is the name of the implement, such as the thread spool 20, the presser foot 92, the embroidery frame 34, or the like. The type, for the thread spool 20, is a thread number for the thread that is wound around the thread spool 20. For the presser foot 92, the type is the type of the presser foot, such as an ordinary presser (a J presser), a decorative pattern sewing presser (an N presser), an embroidery presser (a W presser), or the like. For the embroidery frame 34, the type is the frame size, such as L, M, S, or the like. In the present embodiment, the tag reader 50 communications at fixed intervals (for example, once per second) with the wireless tags 51 that are within its communication range and reads data that are stored in the memory portions of the wireless tags 51 and that indicate the implement IDs, the implement names, and the types. The data that have been read are stored as wireless tag data in a specified storage area of a RAM 63.

Note that a passive type of the wireless tag 51 obviously can also be used with the tag reader 50, although the communication range is generally smaller than it is for the active type. In that case, a wireless tag 51 that is formed like a label can be stuck onto the sewing implement, for example, so the wireless tag 51 can be mounted on the sewing implement more easily.

An electrical configuration of the sewing machine 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, a control portion 60 of the sewing machine 1 includes a CPU 61, a ROM 62, the RAM 63, an EEPROM 64, an external access RAM 68, the card slot 17, an input interface 65, and an output interface 66, all of which are electrically connected to one another by a bus 67. The plurality of the operation switches, which include the power supply switch 31 and the start-and-stop switch 32, the touch panel 26, the tag reader 50, and the like are electrically connected to the input interface 65.

Drive circuits 71 to 74, 85, and 86 are electrically connected to the output interface 66. The drive circuit 71 drives the feed adjustment pulse motor 78. The drive circuit 72 drives the sewing machine motor 79. The drive circuit 73 drives a swinging pulse motor 80 that drives a needle bar swinging mechanism (not shown in the drawings) that swings the needle bar 6. However, the feed adjustment pulse motor 78 and the swinging pulse motor 80 are not driven when an embroidery pattern is sewn. The drive circuit 74 drives the LCD 15. The drive circuits 85 and 86 respectively drive the X axis motor 83 and the Y axis motor 84 for moving the embroidery frame 34.

The ROM 62 stores various types of programs for controlling the operation of the sewing machine 1. The CPU 61 performs various types of computations and processing in accordance with the programs that are stored in the ROM 62, while temporarily storing various types of data in the RAM 63. In addition, pattern IDs and sewing data for various types of utility stitch patterns and embroidery patterns that can be sewn by the sewing machine 1 are stored in association with one another in the ROM 62. The pattern IDs are unique identification codes that identify each of the individual patterns. The sewing data are data that indicate needle drop points, which are positions where the sewing needle 7 pierces the work cloth 100. Note that in the case of an embroidery pattern, the sewing data include information that indicates thread colors, in addition to the data that indicate the needle drop points.

A required implements database (hereinafter called the required implements DB) 69 that is shown in FIG. 4 is stored in the EEPROM 64. The required implements DB 69 in the present embodiment is a database for managing information for identifying the sewing implements (the thread spools 20, the presser feet 92, and the embroidery frames 34) that are required for the sewing of various types of patterns (hereinafter called the built-in patterns) for which the sewing data are stored in the ROM 62. The required sewing implements are determined according to the type, the size, and the like of the built-in pattern. In the case of a utility stitch pattern, a specific thread color and specific embroidery frame 34 are not particularly necessary. Therefore, in this case, only the presser foot 92 is the required sewing implement. In the case of an embroidery pattern, the colors of the threads and the size of the embroidery frame 34 need to be changed according to the colors and the size of the pattern. Therefore, in this case, in addition to the presser foot 92, the thread spools 20 and the embroidery frame 34 are also the required sewing implements.

As shown in FIG. 4, data that indicate the implement IDs, the implement names, and the types are stored in the required implements DB 69 in association with the each pattern IDs for the individual built-in patterns. Note that the implement ID, the implement name, and the type are the same as were described previously in connection with the wireless tag 51. Note also that the data that indicate the implement IDs, the implement names, and the types that correspond to the pattern IDs will hereinafter be called the implement information. In order to facilitate the explanation, FIG. 4 shows an example in which the implement names and the types are also stored in the required implements DB 69. However, as explained previously, the implement ID is an identification code that is capable of specifying the implement name and the type of the sewing implement. Therefore, only the pattern IDs and the implement IDs may be stored in association with one another in the required implements DB 69, and the implement names and the types may not be stored in the required implements DB 69.

In a case where a plurality of the sewing implements are required for a single built-in pattern, or more specifically, in a case where a plurality of different sewing implements are required, as well as in a case where a plurality of different types exist for the same sewing implement, a plurality of records exist in the required implements DB 69 for the same pattern ID. FIG. 4 shows an example in which one type of the presser foot 92 (the W presser), three types of the thread spools 20 (No. 513, No. 001, No. 513), and three types of the embroidery frames 34 (L, M, S) have been set as the required sewing implements for sewing an embroidery pattern with the pattern ID E0001. In this example, the reason that there are two records for the thread number 513 among the three records for the thread spools 20 is that the thread spool 20 for the same color is required twice in a case where, with the embroidery pattern with the pattern ID E0001, after an area for which the thread color is No. 513 is sewn, a separate area for which the thread color is No. 001 is sewn, and then still another area for which the thread color is No. 513 is sewn.

In the case of the size of the embroidery pattern with the pattern ID E0001, the optimum embroidery frame 34 is the S size frame. However, the M size frame and the L size frame can also be used. The reason there are three records pertaining to the embroidery frames 34 is that any one of the three types of the embroidery frames 34 that can be used may be all regarded as a required frame. In the same manner, for the presser foot 92, for example, a type that can be used may also be stored in addition to the W presser, even if it is not the optimum choice. For the thread spools 20 as well, the thread numbers for threads whose colors are different from those of the No. 513 and the No. 001 threads, but that appear to be almost the same colors, may also be stored in addition to the No. 513 and the No. 001. Thus, in the present embodiment, in order to avoid a situation in which the sewing cannot be performed, insofar as it is possible to do so, the sewing implements that at least make it possible to sew the built-in pattern, even if they are not the optimum implements, are set as the required sewing implements for sewing the built-in pattern. However, it is also acceptable for only those sewing implements that are necessary and optimum for sewing the built-in pattern to be set as the required sewing implements for sewing the built-in pattern.

Hereinafter, sewing implements control processing that is performed by the sewing machine 1 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9. The sewing implements control processing includes prepared implement specification processing and required implement determination processing. The prepared implement specification processing is processing that, by the communicating of the tag reader 50 with the wireless tags 51, specifies the sewing implements that are in the vicinity of the sewing machine 1 (within the communication range of tag reader 50) as prepared implements. The required implement determination processing is processing that specifies, as the required implements, the sewing implements that are necessary in order to sew the desired built-in pattern that the user has selected, and that, in a case where the required implements include a sewing implement that is not available, informs the user of the situation. Hereinafter, the prepared implement specification processing and the required implement determination processing will be explained in detail.

The prepared implement specification processing will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The prepared implement specification processing that is shown in FIG. 5 is started when the power supply switch 31 (refer to FIG. 3) of the sewing machine 1 is turned on, by the launching of a prepared implement specification processing program that is stored in the ROM 62. The processing is performed by the executing of the program by the CPU 61. First, initialization processing is performed that clears a prepared implements list 41 (refer to FIG. 6) and an update list (not shown in the drawings) that are provided in specified storage areas of the RAM 63. Thereafter, the wireless tag data (the implement ID, the implement name, and the type) that are read by the tag reader 50 at fixed intervals and are stored in a specified storage area of the RAM 63 are acquired (Step S1). Note that in a case where a plurality of the prepared implements are located within the communication range, a plurality of the wireless tag data are read by the tag reader 50 and are stored in the RAM 63. In that case, the plurality of the wireless tag data are acquired.

The CPU 61 selects for processing one of the acquired wireless tag data that has not been processed and determines whether the selected wireless tag data are identical to any one of the data in the prepared implements list 41 (refer to FIG. 6) (Step S2). The prepared implements list 41 is a list for specifying the prepared implements that is created based on the acquired wireless tag data, and as shown in FIG. 6, it includes the implement IDs, the implement names, and the types. In the initialization processing that was mentioned above, all of the data in the prepared implements list 41 are cleared. Therefore, in the first round of processing, no identical data exist (NO at Step S2). Accordingly, the implement ID, the implement name, and the type in the wireless tag data that is being processed are added to the prepared implements list 41 (Step S3). Note that processing may also be performed that does not add the implement ID, the implement name, and the type to the prepared implements list 41 in a case where data for the sewing implements that are compatible with the sewing machine 1 have been stored in advance in the EEPROM 64, for example, according to the model of the sewing machine 1, and one of the sewing implements that are specified by the wireless tag data is not compatible with the sewing machine 1 (for example, in a case where the specified embroidery frame 34 cannot be mounted in the sewing machine 1).

Next, a determination is made as to whether all of the wireless tag data that are stored in the RAM 63 have been processed (Step S5). If any unprocessed wireless tag data exist (NO at Step S5), one of them is acquired as the next to be processed, and the processing that is described above is performed (Steps S2, S3, S5). Thus, once all of the wireless tag data that are not identical to any of the data in the prepared implements list 41 have been added to the prepared implements list 41 (YES at Step S5), a determination is made as to whether a specified update time has elapsed (Step S6). Specifically, the update time may be determined to have elapsed in a case where the number of rounds of processing at Step S1 is counted by a counter and the number of rounds has reached three, for example. In a case where the update time has not elapsed (NO at Step S6), the processing returns to Step S1, and all of the wireless tag data that have been read by the tag reader 50 are acquired.

In a case where the time for the next reading by the tag reader 50 has not arrived, as well as in a case where there are no newly added sewing implements within the communication range, the wireless tag data that are stored in the RAM 63 have not increased. Accordingly, in this case, all of the acquired wireless tag data have already been stored in the prepared implements list 41 by the previous processing, so the data in the RAM 63 are identical to the data in the prepared implements list 41 (YES at Step S2). In this case, the wireless tag data that are processed are added to the update list (not shown in the drawings), which is provided in the RAM 63 separately from the prepared implements list 41 (Step S4). In the same manner as the previously described prepared implements list 41 that is shown in FIG. 6, the update list is a list that includes the implement IDs, the implement names, and the types.

In contrast, in a case where there have been newly added sewing implements within the communication range, the wireless tag data that have been read at fixed intervals by the tag reader 50 and stored in the RAM 63 have increased. In this case, the wireless tag data for the new sewing implements that have been added within the communication range are not identical to any of the data in the prepared implements list 41 (NO at Step S2). In this case, the implement IDs, the implement names, and the types in the wireless tag data are added to the prepared implements list 41 (Step S3). After whichever of Step S3 and Step S4 is performed, if any unprocessed wireless tag data exist (NO at Step S5), one of them is acquired as the next to be processed (Step S2), and the processing that is described above is performed (Steps S2 to S5).

Once all of the wireless tag data that are stored in the RAM 63 have been processed by the repetition of the processing and the specified update time has elapsed (YES at Step S6), the prepared implements list 41 is updated by overwriting with the data in the update list (Step S7). According to this processing, the data in the prepared implements list 41 are updated with the data from the wireless tags 51 that have been continuously located within the communication range for a fixed period of time up to the point when the update time elapses. In other words, the data for the sewing implements that have been removed from within the communication range are eliminated by the updating. Thereafter, all of the data in the update list are cleared (Step S8), and the processing returns to Step S1. Thus, during the time that the power supply of the sewing machine 1 is on, the prepared implements list 41 for specifying the prepared implements is updated at fixed intervals based on the data that are stored in the wireless tags 51 and that are read at fixed intervals by the tag reader 50.

The required implement determination processing will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. The required implement determination processing that is shown in FIG. 7 is started when the power supply switch 31 (refer to FIG. 3) of the sewing machine 1 is turned on, by the launching of a required implement determination processing program that is stored in the ROM 62. The processing is performed by the executing of the program by the CPU 61. First, a pattern selection screen (not shown in the drawings) is displayed on the LCD 15, and a determination is made as to whether a desired built-in pattern that will be sewn has been selected by a panel operation (Step S21). The CPU 61 waits until a selection has made (NO at Step S21). In a case where one of the built-in patterns has been selected (YES at Step S21), the pattern ID and the sewing data for the pattern that has been selected (hereinafter called the selected pattern) are read from the ROM 62 into the RAM 63.

After one of the built-in patterns has been selected, a required implements list 42 (refer to FIG. 8) that is provided in a specified storage area of the RAM 63 is cleared (Step S22). Next, the implement information that corresponds to the pattern ID of the selected pattern, that is, the implement ID, the implement name, and the type, is acquired from the required implements DB 69 (refer to FIG. 4) (Step S23). Note that in a case where there are a plurality of the required sewing implements for a single built-in pattern, the implement information in the first record in the required implements DB 69 is acquired. Next, a determination is made as to whether the acquired implement information is already included in the required implements list 42 (refer to FIG. 8) (Step S24). The required implements list 42 is a list that is created based on the implement information that has been acquired from the required implements DB 69 according to the selected pattern, and it is used for specifying the sewing implements (hereinafter called a required implements) that are required for sewing the selected pattern. As shown in FIG. 8, the required implements list 42 includes the implement IDs, the implement names, and the types. In the processing at Step S22 that is described above, all of the data in the required implements list 42 have been cleared, so in the first round of the processing, the implement information that was acquired at Step S23 is not in the list (NO at Step S24). Accordingly, the implement information (the implement ID, the implement name, and the type) is added to the required implements list 42 (Step S25).

A determination is made as to whether all of the implement information that is stored in the required implements DB 69 for the pattern ID of the selected pattern has been processed (Step S26). If unprocessed implement information exists (NO at Step S26), the processing returns to Step S23, and the next implement information is acquired. As explained previously, there may be cases in which a plurality of records of the same implement information are stored in the required implements DB 69 for a single built-in pattern, as with the implement information for the thread spool 20 with the thread number 513 in FIG. 4. In this sort of case, if the same implement information is acquired a second or subsequent time, that implement information is already in the required implements list 42 (YES at Step S24), so the implement information is not added to the list, and the processing advances to Step S26.

Thus, once the processing has been completed for all of the implement information that is stored in the required implements DB 69 for the pattern ID of the selected pattern (YES at Step S26), the required implements list 42 (refer to FIG. 8) that has been created is compared to the prepared implements list 41 (refer to FIG. 6) that was created by the prepared implement specification processing (refer to FIG. 5) and stored in the RAM 63 (Step S27). Then a determination is made as to whether all of the required implements that are specified by the data that are included in the required implements list 42 are included in the prepared implements that are specified by the data that are included in the prepared implements list 41, that is, whether all of the required implements have been prepared (Step S28).

However, as described previously, in the present embodiment, all of the types of the embroidery frames 34 that at least make it possible to sew the built-in pattern are stored in the required implements DB 69, so there may be cases in which three types of the embroidery frames 34 (L, M, S) are specified as the required implements, as shown in FIG. 8, for example. Accordingly, if at least one of the plurality of the types of the embroidery frames 34 that have been specified is included in the prepared implements, the determination may be made that the required embroidery frame 34 has been prepared. In the example of the prepared implements list 41 that is shown in FIG. 6, the L size frame and the S size frame are specified as the prepared implements. Therefore, the determination is made that the required embroidery frame 34 has been prepared.

In a case where it is determined that all of the required implements have been prepared (YES at Step S28), the sewing can be started without a message 112 or the like that will be described later being displayed. In a case where the start-and-stop switch 32 (refer to FIG. 1) that is provided on the front face of the arm portion 13 of the sewing machine 1 is pressed, the sewing of the selected pattern is performed in accordance with the sewing data that have been read from the ROM 62 (Step S31). In a case where the sewing of the selected pattern is completed, the processing returns to Step S21, and the CPU 61 waits until the next built-in pattern to be sewn is selected.

In contrast, in a case where at least some of the required implements are not included in the prepared implements, it is determined that there are required implements that have not been prepared (hereinafter called the unprepared required implements) (NO at Step S28). In this case, information that pertains to the unprepared required implements is provided to the user by the displaying of an unprepared required implement information screen 110 like that shown in FIG. 9, for example (Step S29). As shown in FIG. 9, the unprepared required implement information screen 110 is a screen that can be displayed with a warning window 111 superimposed on the utility stitch pattern selection screen. The message 112, which informs the user that the required implement (tool) does not exist and provides information that specifies the unprepared required implement, for example, is displayed in the warning window 111. The unprepared required implement information screen 110 may display a Cancel button 113 for canceling the current pattern selection state and inputting a command to shift to a screen for selecting another pattern, as well as an OK button 114 for ignoring the fact that there is an unprepared required implement and inputting a command to shift to a state in which the sewing can be started with the existing implements.

In a case where the Cancel button 113 is selected by a panel operation by the user and the current pattern selection state is canceled (YES at Step S30), the processing returns to Step S21, the pattern selection screen (not shown in the drawings) is displayed again on the LCD 15, and the CPU 61 waits for a new built-in pattern to be selected. In contrast, in a case where the OK button 114 is selected by a panel operation by the user (NO at Step S30), the sewing machine 1 enters a state in which the sewing can be started. After that, the sewing of the selected pattern is performed in a case where the start-and-stop switch 32 is pressed (Step S31).

As explained above, in the sewing machine 1 according to the present embodiment, information for identifying the prepared implements is read at fixed intervals by the tag reader 50 from the wireless tags 51 that have been mounted on the prepared implements that are within the communication range and is stored in the prepared implements list 41. Furthermore, in a case where the user selects a desired pattern as the selected pattern from among the plurality of the built-in patterns by performing a panel operation on the touch panel 26, the implement information for the required implements that correspond to the selected pattern is taken from the required implements DB 69, which stores the implement information that pertains to the sewing implements that are required for the sewing of the each built-in patterns, and is stored in the required implements list 42. Then the required implements list 42 and the prepared implements list 41 are compared, and the unprepared required implements, which are the required implements that are not included among the prepared implements, are specified, and the information that pertains to the unprepared required implements is provided to the user by the unprepared required implement information screen 110 that is displayed on the LCD 15. Therefore, at the stage of preparing for the sewing, the user of the sewing machine 1 can easily check whether all of the required implements that correspond to the desired selected pattern have been prepared.

Furthermore, the sewing implements on which the wireless tags 51 are mounted are the thread spools 20, the presser feet 92, and the embroidery frames 34, for each of which a large number of types exist. According to the sewing machine 1 according to the present embodiment, the required implements that correspond to the built-in patterns can be managed, and the user can be informed about the unprepared required implements, so the burdensomeness of the user's work of checking whether the required implements have been prepared can be reduced. For embroidery sewing in particular, a large number of the thread spools 20 with different thread colors may be required. Therefore, the user ordinarily purchases and uses a thread spool set in which a large number of the thread spools 20 with different thread colors (for example, forty colors) are stored in a case. However, in some cases, the thread spool set may contain a plurality of the thread spools 20 for which the colors are so extremely similar as to appear at a glance to be the same color, and distinguishing among them may be difficult. In these cases, at the stage of preparing for the sewing, the user need to visually check the thread numbers that are shown on the thread spools 20 one at a time in order to check whether the user has the thread spools 20 with the required colors. According to the sewing machine 1 of the present embodiment, this sort of extremely burdensome work becomes unnecessary.

The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment that is described above, and various types of modifications are possible. For example, in the embodiment that is described above, the sewing machine 1 in which the single thread spool 20 can be set was used as an example, but what is called a multi-needle sewing machine in which a plurality (for example, six) of the thread spools 20 can be set may also be used.

Furthermore, in the embodiment that is described above, in a case where the unprepared required implements exist, the information that pertains to the unprepared required implements is provided to the user, but the information that pertains to the unprepared required implements may also be provided to the user together with information that pertains to the required implements that are included among the prepared implements (hereinafter called the prepared required implements). Processing for this sort of modified example can be achieved by modifying a portion of the required implement determination processing according to the embodiment that is described above. Hereinafter, the required implement determination processing according to the modified example will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 10.

In the embodiment that is described above, after the required implements list 42 and the prepared implements list 41 are compared at Step S27 in FIG. 7, the determination is made at Step S28 as to whether all of the required implements have been prepared, and in a case where they have not all been prepared (NO at Step S28), the unprepared required implement information screen 110 is displayed at Step S29. In the required implement determination processing according to the modified example, the processing at Step S28 is not performed, and at Step S29, a determination results information screen 120 like that shown in FIG. 10, for example, is displayed on the LCD 15 instead of the unprepared required implement information screen 110. On the determination results information screen 120, a results window 116 can be displayed superimposed on the ordinary stitch pattern selection screen. A message 117 that informs the user that the required implements (tools) and their statuses are displayed, a list 118 that shows the implement (tool) names, the types, and the statuses of all of the required implements, the Cancel button 113, and the OK button 114 are displayed in the results window 116. In the Status column of the list 118, an X indicates an unprepared required implement, and an O indicates a prepared required implement. The processing in the cases where the Cancel button 113 and the OK button 114 are selected is the same as in the embodiment that is described above.

According to the required implement determination processing in the modified example, both the information that pertains to the unprepared required implements and the information that pertains to the prepared required implements are provided to the user by the determination results information screen 120. Therefore, at the stage of preparing for the sewing, the user of the sewing machine 1 can know about all of the required implements that correspond to the desired selected pattern and can easily check both the prepared implements and the unprepared implements among the required implements.

The apparatus and methods described above with reference to the various embodiments are merely examples. It goes without saying that they are not confined to the depicted embodiments. While various features have been described in conjunction with the examples outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, and/or improvements of those features and/or examples may be possible. Accordingly, the examples, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative. Various changes may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the underlying principles. 

1. A sewing machine, comprising: a storage portion that stores pattern information and implement information for each of a plurality of patterns in association with one another, the pattern information being information that identifies each of the patterns, and the implement information being information that identifies, among a plurality of sewing implements, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew each of the patterns, the sewing implement being an implement that can be used for sewing and that can be replaceably mounted in the sewing machine; a selecting portion that selects a desired pattern as a selected pattern from among the plurality of the patterns; a first specifying portion that references the pattern information and the implement information that are stored in the storage portion and specifies, as one or more required implements, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew the selected pattern that has been selected by the selecting portion; a reading portion that reads, as tag information, information that is stored in one or more wireless tags that are respectively attached to one or more prepared implements and that identifies the one or more prepared implements, the one or more prepared implements being one or more sewing implements that are located within a communication range of the reading portion; a second specifying portion that specifies the one or more prepared implements based on the tag information that has been read by the reading portion; and an informing control portion that, based on the one or more required implements that have been specified by the first specifying portion and on the one or more prepared implements that have been specified by the second specifying portion, in a case where there are one or more unprepared required implements, causes an informing portion to inform at least information that pertains to the one or more unprepared required implements as unprepared required implement information, the one or more unprepared required implements being one or more required implements that are not included among the one or more prepared implements.
 2. The sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the sewing implements include at least one of a sewing needle, a thread spool, a presser foot, and an embroidery frame,
 3. The sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the informing control portion, based on the one or more required implements that have been specified by the first specifying portion and on the one or more prepared implements that have been specified by the second specifying portion, causes the informing portion to inform the unprepared required implement information and prepared required implement information that is information that pertains to one or more required implements that are included among the one or more prepared implements.
 4. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a processor of a sewing machine to execute the steps of: accepting a desired pattern as a selected pattern selected from among a plurality of patterns; specifying as one or more required implements, by referencing pattern information and implement information, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew the selected pattern that has been accepted, the pattern information and the implement information being stored in a storage portion for each of the plurality of the patterns, the pattern information being information that identifies each of the patterns, and the implement information being information that identifies, among a plurality of sewing implements, one or more sewing implements that are required in order to sew each of the patterns, the sewing implement being implements that can be used for sewing and that can be replaceably mounted in the sewing machine; specifying one or more prepared implements based on tag information that has been read by a reading portion, the tag information being information that is stored in one or more wireless tags that are respectively attached to the one or more prepared implements and that identifies the one or more prepared implements, and the one or more prepared implements being one or more sewing implements that are located within a communication range of the reading portion; and causing an informing portion to inform at least information that pertains to one or more unprepared required implements as unprepared required implement information, in a case where there are one or more unprepared required implements, based on the one or more required implements that have been specified and on the one or more prepared implements that have been specified, the one or more unprepared required implements being the one or more required implements that are not included among the prepared implements.
 5. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein the sewing implements include at least one of a sewing needle, a thread spool, a presser foot, and an embroidery frame.
 6. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein causing the informing portion to inform the unprepared required implement information and prepared required implement information that is information that pertains to the one or more required implements that are included among the one or more prepared implements, based on one or more the required implements that have been specified and on the one or more prepared implements that have been specified. 